WHEN Blues and Villa were kept apart in the draw for the League Cup semi-finals in 1996, it appeared a good omen for Blues.

The only major trophy in their history so far had arrived when they beat their fiercest rivals in the 1963 League Cup final. Same again?

The Second City was abuzz at the prospect of the neighbours clashing in the Wembley final. But it was not to be. Villa did their bit by seeing off Arsenal but Blues could not bridge the division gap separating them and Howard Wilkinson’s Premiership side Leeds United.

A 5-1 aggregate win for Leeds over the two legs was pretty emphatic in the end, but Blues had their chances. They just had too many accidents along the way. An own goal, a missed sitter and a wasted penalty are not the ingredients of semi-final success.

All was looking rosy at half-time in the first leg at St Andrew’s when Blues led 1-0 through Kevin Francis’s wonderful goal, a 25-yard screamer which seared past goalkeeper John Lukic and nestled inside the net off a post.

Barry Fry’s side had not let Leeds settle and the Premiership outfit knew they had a battle on their hands.